Relationships Are Risky but Worth Pursuing

Relationships can be risky. People may hurt us. But the value of fellowship far outweigh the risks of pursuing it.

Relationships can be risky. People may hurt us. But the value of fellowship far outweigh the risks of pursuing it. Share on X

Blessing of Community

One baby under a year old and another on the way, and we moved again (4 times in 6 years). This time to a tiny out-of-the way town.

Again, I knew no one. But this time I had a plan to remedy that.

Typically, I’d sit back and wait for people to find me. People I could relate to. About the time we’d be ready to move again, I’d have finally met a possible friend.

With this move, I determined things would be different. So shortly after we settled into our new house, I implemented my plan to intentionally search for friends. People who could support me. A group to belong to.

For the next year and a half, my new friends celebrated the birth of my second little boy, grieved with me over the loss of our next child to miscarriage, offered names for babysitters, and provided needed solace for an overwhelmed young mother.

I could not imagine the isolation I would have felt without their support.

And the blessing of those sought-after friends didn’t end when we moved yet again. These special ladies gave long-distance support following another miscarriage and shared in our joy at the birth of our baby girl.

We All Need Others

Prior to this move, I expected relationships to develop organically. I guess I thought I’d just stumble into them, like I would a great garage-sale find or a Native-American artifact in the creek bed or a four-leaf clover.

Yet God gives credence to the need to intentionally collect people and grow relationships.

Take for example Jesus. Here was God Himself, and He chose to be surrounded and supported by mere humans in His calling of the disciples.

The Savior-incarnate didn’t just call one to be His sole supporter. He chose 12 apostles and many more disciples to walk with Him and help Him in His ministry. And the disciples, then, had each other.

Similarly God didn’t ask Mary to raise Jesus alone. He gave her a husband, Joseph, and then later friends to support her during her most difficult days. Throughout her life, it appears Mary had a support group.

John the Baptist had those who followed and supported him, and Paul had traveling and ministry companions.

In the Old Testament days, we also see the importance of relationships. Noah had his family. David had Jonathan. Naomi had Ruth.

Value of Relationships

Clearly, relationships are important. Yet if many of us are honest, we spend lots of time making money to buy things. We spend hours researching an item we want to purchase.

But when it comes to spending time seeking out and nurturing relationships, it’s often an afterthought.

I wonder if it’s because collecting things seems safe and satisfying; while collecting people can appear risky and overwhelming. 

However, each of us needs to tap into that treasure of friendship, no matter how scary it may look to collect.

Because as risky and time consuming as relationships can be, we need others. People and the fellowship and support they provide have a far more lasting value than things. 

You add value to the lives of others; they add value to yours. 

People and the fellowship and support they provide have a far more lasting value than things. Share on X

As this post goes live, I’ll be driving 10 hours to a retreat with a group of ladies who for the most part have been friends only in the virtual sense. It’s time to take it one step further and put 3 dimensions to our relationships.

A bit scary? Absolutely! Maybe my personality will clash with most of theirs. Maybe what they like, I won’t. Maybe I’ll feel out of place and unwelcome.

But maybe I’ll discover a few (or more) precious friendships to add to my treasure bag. Maybe I’ll find huge supporters and thought-provokers. Maybe I’ll be able to whisper encouragement and receive it back.

The risk of relationship is real, but what I learned all those years ago is that I can’t go it alone.

I learned that people are valuable. I learned that people belong on our list of “most treasured possessions.”

People belong on our list of 'most treasured possessions.' Share on X

So go ahead, begin collecting your treasure today.

“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Reflections: Do you find it easier to collect things rather than people? What’s stopping you from reaching out to others to add to your treasure of relationships? What’s one step you can take today to remedy that?

I am always thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefreeThursday and this week’s prompt, “collecting people rather than things.” Click on the image to check out the wonderful encouragement.